Chapter 2
1322 Words
The basketball game had come to an end.
Zhuo Yike lifted his leg, ready to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he glanced at Fang Qi and immediately turned back to help him up.
It was only a minor injury. Any guy wouldn’t care much about it, but Zhuo Yike insisted on his decision to take Fang Qi to the school infirmary. The people present praised him for not only being handsome but also kind-hearted. As he waved goodbye, the wind blew, lifting his soulful eyes, soft and affectionate.
Much better than the guy who wanted to tattle to the parents.
Lin Yuyan was also ready to leave.
The two of them had agreed to eat at the new Chicken Pot stall that had opened at the school.
“Hey, why did Zhuo Yike give you water?” Chen Li opened the conversation, teasing, “Could he be into you?”
Lin Yuyan lowered her lashes, not responding, and felt equally confused.
She didn’t have much interaction with Zhuo Yike—it was just her one-sided crush.
Noticing her silence, Chen Li continued, “Well, you better be careful. Dating someone like him is fine, but don’t cross any lines. You’ve always been such a good and innocent girl.”
Her words were serious, and Lin Yuyan nodded in agreement.
That was also why she feared Cheng Yan tattling.
Her mom had forbidden her from dating in college.
Since childhood, she had followed the rules strictly. Growing up in a family of teachers, the expectations were naturally higher than for other kids.
From the moment she was born, her life path had been planned: attend Beijing University, choose a teaching major, and follow the same path as her parents, living a stable, honest life. But when it came time to choose her major, she rebelled and swapped education for journalism, leaving her future uncertain.
Because of this, the summer after her college entrance exam was filled with her parents constantly bringing up Cheng Yan. They said he came from a family of financiers, so he naturally chose a finance major. “Such an obedient child,” they would say.
The implication was clear: Lin Yuyan was the disobedient one.
She resented being compared, and gradually, this resentment transferred to Cheng Yan himself.
While lost in thought, Chen Li glanced at her phone and suddenly frowned. “Yanyan, I don’t think I can join you for the Chicken Pot. Our advisor suddenly called for an emergency class meeting.”
Afraid Lin Yuyan wouldn’t believe her, Chen Li showed her the phone screen.
Lin Yuyan nodded, softly replying, “It’s fine.”
Dinner wasn’t that important to her. Since Chen Li couldn’t go, she decided to buy a bottle of water and head back to the dorm to work on her journalism assignment.
After purchasing the water, her phone vibrated—a call came in. She saw the name and declined it.
The other person was relentless and switched to a WeChat video call.
Lin Yuyan stared at the screen for a few seconds. Just before it was about to end automatically, she turned off the camera and answered.
Instead of seeing his sharp, clean-cut face, it was her own slender silhouette reflected on the screen. She turned her head and looked up. He was leaning against the third-floor railing, waving at her.
The wind tousled his hair, and his dark eyes, filled with mystery, carried a hint of something ominous.
Who knew how long he had been standing there? From that vantage point, he could see every corner of the basketball court.
The buzz of conversations surrounded her. She accidentally met his eyes, his cold, playful gaze locking with hers.
Lin Yuyan’s breath hitched.
Her classmates had already noticed him and started whispering his name.
She instinctively lowered her gaze.
His voice, coming through the phone, was indifferent and casual. “Meet me at the usual spot.”
The school had an underground parking lot. The further Lin Yuyan walked, the colder it got.
This was the "usual spot" he referred to.
Being so close to home had its drawbacks. If her mom told her to go home, she had no choice but to comply, even if she didn’t want to.
She and Cheng Yan went to the same university, and having grown up together, her mother often asked Cheng Yan for help. He gladly accepted every time, which wasn’t like him at all. So Lin Yuyan wasn’t surprised that he might tattle to her parents about her dating.
It was better to keep a distance from him, pretending not to know each other was the best strategy.
Lin Yuyan scanned the area but didn’t see him anywhere. Just as she thought it was one of his pranks, she heard a honk.
A flashy car sped out from the garage and stopped next to her. After hesitating for a few seconds, the window rolled down, revealing a cold, stern face.
“Do I need to invite you in?” he asked.
Lin Yuyan quickly shook her head and got into the car. It sped out of the garage immediately.
As the school gate grew smaller in the rearview mirror, she realized their relationship could now be out in the open.
Cheng Yan glanced sideways, seemingly noticing her subtle movements. His left index finger, adorned with a bone ring, lightly brushed the steering wheel as he bluntly asked, “Are you and Zhuo Yike dating?”
Lin Yuyan was caught off guard. After a pause, before she could respond, he casually continued, “That's good. How far have you gone? Holding hands or kissing?”
That was way too direct...
Lin Yuyan frowned, her mind flashing to Su Wanmian’s face. “Cheng Yan, you should verify the truth before questioning my relationship with Zhuo Yike.”
Though she hadn’t heard what Su Wanmian said, she could guess the general idea. After all, Su saw her as a "love rival."
Lin Yuyan turned her head, avoiding his gaze.
Cheng Yan paused for a moment, then turned on some soft music. His tone remained teasing, “Tattling, huh?”
Lin Yuyan didn’t say a word.
“I was just asking. Don’t cry about it.”
Cry? When had she cried?
The car soon arrived at Huanchen Mansion. From a distance, Lin Yuyan could already see Ye Qiutang waiting at the entrance.
Lin Yuyan got out, holding the bottle of water she had just bought, and called out, “Mom.”
Cheng Yan’s house was right next door, just a few steps away.
Ye Qiutang thanked Cheng Yan several times and invited him to stay for dinner.
Lin Yuyan was still fuming and barely acknowledged Cheng Yan after getting out of the car. However, he stared directly at her, his gaze fixed on the bottle of water in her hands.
“It’s no big deal, just a small favor. I’ll take a bottle of water instead of dinner,” he said, snatching the bottle from her arms before she could react.
By the time she realized it, he was already walking away.
Lin Yuyan glared at his back, wanting to chase after him, but Ye Qiutang stopped her. “Hey, hey, hey, what’s the big deal? It’s just a bottle of water. Why are you so upset?”
Cheng Yan turned back, standing tall and relaxed. His voice carried a teasing note. “Thanks, Lin Yuyan.”
How did he know about her conversation with Zhuo Yike?
Lin Yuyan frowned but didn’t dwell on it, heading into the house instead.
Ye Qiutang followed her inside. “Cheng Yan gave you a ride and just took a bottle of water. Why are you so angry?”
Lin Yuyan had never been the type to lose her temper.
After a while, her voice softened. “Mom, could you please stop asking Cheng Yan to drive me home?”
- Writer
